October 29, 2020 - February 21, 2021

Portraits serve as expressions of identity, popular taste, social standing, and as documents of who, when, and where. Representing one’s self in the best light or seeing others in understandable terms are motives behind why we record images of each other, whether for rituals, documentation of events, art making, or as expressions of status.

True Likeness presents an exhibition of contemporary portraits from diverse makers in a variety of media including video, photography, painting, collage, installation, sculpture, printmaking, and drawing. Artists, some familiar, others more on the fringe of the art world, hail from all over the United States. Their own identities, and those presented through their works, provide a snapshot of who we are as a country. The exhibition took shape over the last two years as overt and coded hate speech became congruent with one of the most divisive elections of our time. For this reason, it became increasingly apparent that highlighting and celebrating diversity was paramount.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant mask mandate have prevented us from seeing the faces of others while in public spaces. Perhaps our inability to focus on superficial characteristics will enable us to instead reflect on our profound similarities as humans, a notion many of the artists included in True Likeness address through their art.

Participating Artists:
Endia Beal, Antonius-Tín Bui, Sam Doyle, Amir H. Fallah, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Juan R. Fuentes, Raymond Grubb, Holly Keogh, Deborah Luster, Gene Merritt, Dan Robert Miller, John Monteith, Kameron Neal, Wendy Red Star, Deborah Roberts, Chris Sullivan, Bill Thelen, Mickalene Thomas, and vernacular photography from the collection of John and Teenuh Foster.

This exhibition was co-curated by Tom Stanley. Heartfelt thanks to all of our interns, especially Adrienne Lee ’21, Blanch Seniff ’22, Isabel Smith ’24, and Paul Stouffer ’21, as well as to Russ White '04, Graham McKinney, and Stephanie Cash.

The exhibition, programs, and brochure would not have been possible without the support of the Herb Jackson and Laura Grosch Gallery Endowment, Bacca Bacca Foundation Visiting Lecture and Artist Fund, Davidson College Friends of the Arts, and Stories Yet to be Told: Race, Racism, and Accountability, a Davidson College institutional initiative.